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This book introduces three new subjects to the context of literacy research-play, the imaginary, and improvisation-and proposes how to incorporate these important concepts into the field as research methods in order to engage people, materials, spaces, and imaginaries that are inherent in every research encounter. Grounded in cutting-edge theory, chapters are structured around lived narratives of research experiences, demonstrating key practices for unsettling and expanding the ways people interact, behave, and construct knowledge. Through an exploration of difference, play, and the imaginary, authors Medina, Perry, and Wohlwend present an active set of practices that acknowledges and attends to the global, fragmented, politicized contexts in literacy research.
This book provides researchers and literacy education scholars with rich and clear theoretical foundations and practical tools to engage in literacy research in ethical, creative, and responsive ways. The authors invite readers to play by exploring the ways in which pedagogical, research, artistic, and other creative contexts can be sites to examine identity, plurality, and difference. Chapters feature innovative elements such as author dialogues that make visible how the authors engage with the ideas they present; guiding questions to prompt reflection and conversation; playful invitations to share possibilities of play in real-world contexts; and stories and practices to ground the conceptual and playful inquiry.
List of contents
PART I THE (PLAY)GROUND
CHAPTER 1 INVITATIONS TO PLAY AND REIMAGINE INQUIRY FOR LIVED LITERACIES
CHAPTER 2 THE RESEARCH ENCOUNTER: DIFFERENCE AND RELATION
CHAPTER 3 IMAGINARIES AND THE IMAGINATION IN LITERACY RESEARCH ENCOUNTERS
CHAPTER 4 METHODS FOR DESIGNING THE RESEARCH (PLAY)GROUND
PART II PLAYFUL METHODS ACROSS CONTEXTS
CHAPTER 5 IMPROVISATION AS INQUIRY SPACES FOR (UN)DOING LITERACY AND DOING HUMANIZING WORK
CHAPTER 6 PLAY, RUPTURES, AND BECOMINGS
CHAPTER 7 TAKING PLAYFUL METHODS INTO THE WILD
CHAPTER 8 UNCERTAIN FUTURES AND UNSATISFYING CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX: PLAYFUL METHODS
About the author
Carmen Liliana Medina is Associate Professor of Literacy, Culture and Language Education at Indiana University, USA.
Mia Perry is Senior Lecturer of Literacies and Arts in Education at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Karen Wohlwend is Professor of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University, USA.
Summary
This book introduces three new subjects to the context of literacy research—play, the imaginary, and improvisation—and proposes how to incorporate these important concepts into the field as research methods in order to engage people, materials, spaces, and imaginaries that are inherent in every research encounter.
